Shoe accessory

ABSTRACT

A shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on a user&#39;s foot, and associated method of manufacturing the shoe accessory, including a first layer including silicone and a second layer including fur and disposed on the first layer, where the second layer is arranged to contact the user&#39;s foot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/699,670, filed Sep. 8, 2017, now pending, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a shoe accessory, particularly a shoeinsole including a fur layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shoe inserts and insoles are devices that may be placed in users'footwear to provide additional style and comfort when wearing thefootwear. Such inserts are predominantly gel- or foam-based. Thestructure of these inserts is typically either a single layer of gel orfoam or a two-layer structure of a gel or foam base and a sock linerdisposed on the base. The sock liner is often made of a fabric material.The sock liner layer is customarily very thin and helps to ensure thatthe user's foot is not in direct contact with the gel or foam material.Additionally, these inserts are typically fully housed in a user'sfootwear and, therefore, not visible when worn by the user. There existsa need for a superior shoe accessory providing further comfort andaesthetic appeal when used and visible in open back shoes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, in one aspect, the invention features a shoe accessory foropen back footwear worn on a user's foot, including a first layerincluding silicone and a second layer including fur and disposed on thefirst layer, where the second layer is arranged to contact the user'sfoot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing features. The first layer may include a gel, a foam, or arubber. The fur may be artificial fur or real fur, and the real fur maybe fur from a fox, rabbit, mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable,coyote, chinchilla, raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or isMongolian fur. The first layer may include a top side and a bottom sideand the second layer may include a top side and a bottom side, the topside of the first layer being affixed to the bottom side of the secondlayer by an adhesive. The adhesive may be glue. The first layer and thesecond layer may have the shape of a shoe insole. The shoe accessory maybe configured for use in open back footwear including slides, clogs,heels, or mules.

In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method ofmanufacturing a shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on a user'sfoot, including disposing a second layer including fur on a first layerincluding silicone, where the second layer is arranged to contact theuser's foot when the open back footwear including the shoe accessory isworn.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing features. The first layer may include a gel, a foam, or arubber. The fur may be artificial fur or real fur, and the real fur maybe fur from a fox, rabbit, mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable,coyote, chinchilla, raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or isMongolian fur. The first layer may include a top side and a bottom sideand the second layer may include a top side and a bottom side, the topside of the first layer being affixed to the bottom side of the secondlayer by an adhesive. The adhesive may be glue. The first layer and thesecond layer may have the shape of a shoe insole. The shoe accessory maybe configured for use in open back footwear including slides, clogs,heels, or mules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a shoe accessory according to one embodimentof the present invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a shoe accessory according to the embodimentof FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The shoe accessory of the present invention may include two layers. Thefirst layer is a base layer, or bottom layer, which may includesilicone. The first layer may be a gel-, foam-, or rubber-based layer.The second layer is a surface layer, or top layer, which includes fur.The fur may be artificial or real. Artificial fur is any material madeof synthetic fibers and resembling real fur, such as acrylicmicrofibers. Real fur is a piece of the pelt of an animal. Real fur maybe selected from, but not limited to, the following animals: foxes,rabbits, minks, beavers, stoats/ermines, otters, sables, coyotes,chinchillas, raccoons, lynxes, possums, goats, cows, and horses.Additionally, the real fur may be Mongolian fur.

The two layers may both have the shape of traditional shoe insoles. Thetwo layers may be affixed to each other at a top side of the first layerand a bottom side of the second layer. The two layers may be affixed byan adhesive. In a preferred embodiment, the two layers are affixed byglue.

In a preferred embodiment, the shoe accessory is configured for, andused in, open back footwear, such that the shoe accessory may be visibleat the open back portion of the footwear. Open back footwear that mayutilize the shoe accessory of the present invention includes slides,clogs, heels, mules, and the like.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a side view and a top view, respectively, of a shoeaccessory 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Shoeaccessory 1 has a first layer 10 including silicone and a second layer20 including fur.

It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that variouschanges may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elementswithout departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, manymodifications may be made to adapt a particular feature or material tothe teachings of the invention without departing from the scope thereof.Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to theparticular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will includeall embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe accessory for open back footwear worn on auser's foot, comprising: a first layer comprising silicone; and a secondlayer comprising fur and disposed on the first layer; wherein the secondlayer is arranged to contact the user's foot when the open back footwearincluding the shoe accessory is worn.
 2. The shoe accessory of claim 1,wherein the first layer comprises a gel, a foam, or a rubber.
 3. Theshoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the fur is artificial fur.
 4. Theshoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the fur is real fur.
 5. The shoeaccessory of claim 4, wherein the real fur is fur from a fox, rabbit,mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable, coyote, chinchilla,raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or is Mongolian fur.
 6. Theshoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the first layer includes a top sideand a bottom side and the second layer includes a top side and a bottomside, the top side of the first layer being affixed to the bottom sideof the second layer by an adhesive.
 7. The shoe accessory of claim 6,wherein the adhesive is glue.
 8. The shoe accessory of claim 1, whereinthe first layer and the second layer have the shape of a shoe insole. 9.The shoe accessory of claim 1, wherein the shoe accessory is configuredfor use in open back footwear including slides, clogs, heels, or mules.10. A method of manufacturing a shoe accessory for open back footwearworn on a user's foot, comprising: providing a first layer comprisingsilicone; and disposing a second layer comprising fur on the firstlayer; wherein the second layer is arranged to contact the user's footwhen the open back footwear including the shoe accessory is worn. 11.The method of claim 10, wherein the first layer comprises a gel, a foam,or a rubber.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the fur is artificialfur.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the fur is real fur.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the real fur is fur from a fox, rabbit,mink, beaver, stoat or ermine, otter, sable, coyote, chinchilla,raccoon, lynx, possum, goat, cow, or horse, or is Mongolian fur.
 15. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the first layer includes a top side and abottom side and the second layer includes a top side and a bottom side,the top side of the first layer being affixed to the bottom side of thesecond layer by an adhesive.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein theadhesive is glue.
 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the first layerand the second layer have the shape of a shoe insole.
 18. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the shoe accessory is configured for use in open backfootwear including slides, clogs, heels, or mules.